Wheel Locks or Not?
#1
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OK, assume that you have nice wheels on your 928 - Do you use wheel locks or not?
- 928 wheels don't fit that many other cars.
- Not too many 928 owners are likely to steal a set of wheels.
- A thief can get a set of wheel locks off about as quickly as standard lug nuts.
- If the car is stolen, the wheel lock key is probably going to be in the glove box, console, or jack bag.
So, is it worth using wheel locks?
- 928 wheels don't fit that many other cars.
- Not too many 928 owners are likely to steal a set of wheels.
- A thief can get a set of wheel locks off about as quickly as standard lug nuts.
- If the car is stolen, the wheel lock key is probably going to be in the glove box, console, or jack bag.
So, is it worth using wheel locks?
#2
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I use them and they are more of an annoyance.
In fact I would swap them right now for a non-locking variety.
In fact I would swap them right now for a non-locking variety.
#3
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I really like my wheels and paid to have them custom painted but I don't use wheel locks for all of the reasons you mentioned. Anyone who's looking to steal wheels is going to be looking for something he can use or sell.
Otherwise it would be someone just f-ing with the car and they can do that just as easily with a key or a brick.
Otherwise it would be someone just f-ing with the car and they can do that just as easily with a key or a brick.
#5
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Only reason I use them is for maintaining originality. They are definitely a nuisance and its unlikely anyone would steal the wheels. The valve stem covers and the center caps are another story altogether.
#6
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No, they were one of the first things I got rid of when I had the dish wheels. Total pain to deal with, didn't work very well, and for someone who likes to work on his car they are a real impediment. Now that I have the nice wheels I still don't use them. Some lowlife steals my wheels and actually leaves the car, well that's what insurance is for.
#7
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Only car we have with locks is my wife's Lincoln, and I am sick of those and looking to replace them with normal lugs. Today's thief is too lazy to steal wheels, and most don't have the value they used to anyway.
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#9
928 Collector
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Wally I gave up on those locks a long time ago - the stockers were garbage .. with the integrated key tumbler. The newer style stock ones are great till some technical wiz cross-threads them, or as in one case, bolts them over a stud with no wheel and breaks the cap off. Or... you lose the $$ key ... I don't use them anymore.
#10
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On last S4 the locks were very fiddly and frankly falling apart, so I replaced them with normal lugs.
Current S4 has Carrera 2 17inch wheels, and I'm sure someone told me they were popular with VW Golf GTi drivers so I've kept them on so far.
Is there any balance issue with the thing about wheel lock going on the red-painted stud?
Current S4 has Carrera 2 17inch wheels, and I'm sure someone told me they were popular with VW Golf GTi drivers so I've kept them on so far.
Is there any balance issue with the thing about wheel lock going on the red-painted stud?
#11
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Just wait until you have a flat tire and the wheel lock key snaps.
No thank you.
No thank you.
#12
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+1... Even the elusive Club Sport is not exactly a hot item. I took the locks off my wheels last year and have put non-lock lug nuts on my wishlist at 928intl.com to tack onto my next order. But I still have the frigging key on my keychain! That can go too...
#13
Reanimator
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I lost the key for the locks on a previous vehicle; took the car to the tire shop, he had the locks off in minutes. So much for them being 'secure'. Besides, like Jeff says, no one want's 16" wheels anymore, especially ones that don't fit anything they can sell them for.
#15
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I had a tire separation issue in Van Horn, Texas on the way back from California in May. No wheel lock key. Unbelievable that they had two tire shops in a town in the middle of freaking nowhere. One shop, a guy took longer to find the extractor tool than the time it took to actually take it off; the second shop had a tire the right size. Dunno, just lucky, I guess. ![Smilie](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
The wheel locks are now off the car.
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The wheel locks are now off the car.